Cornish and Harpswell, Maine
The Cornish and Harpswell drumming circles will
be joining together to celebrate the solstice in
Cornish beginning at 7:00 PM Saturday evening the
21st. The evening will include ritual releasing
of those things no longer needed by the participants,
a healing circle, and an individual and world blessing
ceremony. All are welcome, however it is requested
that those interested in attending please contact
us in advance to learn what is needed for the ceremonies.Contact: Email earthrest@psouth.net
or call 207 625-4179.back
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Brooklyn, New YorkReverence to Her: A Participatory
Chant to Invoke the Female Forces in the Universe
Present in All People.

Essence of the Season
Winter Solstice
from Always in Season: Living in Sync with the
Cycles

The sun, its back toward us, has been retreating
for half a year now. The days have shriveled to
a skeleton flicker of light. The frozen nights
are endless. By the solstice, we are left standing
alone in the dark. And winter is only just about
to begin. These are dim, drab times. No flowers,
no foliage. No insects, few birds. The earth itself
is congealed with cold. Dark death and Arctic
gloom surrounds us. How do we know that the sun,
too, won't die, it's flame of life extinguished
forever? How do we know that it won't just go
off and leave us, abandon us to the night?

We know because it always has come back. Light
is conceived in the dark cold at the time of the
Winter Solstice, making it the most hopeful of
all days. The Winter Solstice is like the time
before we were born, when we floated in the great
inky uterine void from which all is formed: that
vast black ring around all possibility, its perimeter
bulging with promise. The sun, a mere gleam in
the eye of eternity, graces us with the smallest
spark, the most tentative hint of a glow, imagined
now in the dense ambiance of its absence. And
light, no matter how tiny, equals life.
(c) Donna Henes

Please join us in spirit wherever you are as
we welcome back the sun.back
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We will celebrate the winter solstice at this
public, community gathering by honoring the darkness
we have all experienced in these last months,
and opening space in ourselves for the light and
new beginnings that follow this turning of the
year.

With the intention of letting go of (dark, heavy)
feelings that no longer serve us, we will each
place a message in our tule spirit boat. We'll
float the tule boat out to sea on the turning
of the tides, offering our intentions to the creatures
and waters of the Bay. Whomever is inspired will
have a chance to name what new attitude, feeling,
or focus s/he wants to welcome into her/his life,
and by witnessing for each other we will strengthen
our intention as the light returns.

Meet at 4:00 at the parking lot by the first pond
(on the right) after you cross the tracks and
enter Marsh Road Bayfront Park. The park is on
Marsh road to the EAST of 101 in Menlo Park, along
the bay.

Sponsored by Meg Beeler, Ginny Anderson and Foundation
for Global
Community. Note: this is a shamanism-subtly-shared-with-the-world
event, with no overt journeying or other of our
usual practices. back
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Charlottesville, Virginia
Our group in VA already did our solstice gathering,
since we meet the 2nd Monday of each month. After
the usual smudging and calling directions, we
all journeyed to ask "In this darkest time
of year, with the shortest days, what is the spark
of light within that guides me and keeps me going?"
Ask your power animal to take you to that spark
and have a dialog.

After sharing the results of that journey, we
did a 2nd journey, each to ask for a piece of
a ritual to honor that light found within us,
even during the darkest times. We then did that
ritual as a group, and closed with releasing the
Directions with thanks.
Shirley Paul
Charlottesville VA back
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Please join us in sacred community for a Winter Solstice
healing celebration!
WHERE: ONeill Park in Trabuco Canyon at the foot
of Saddleback Mountain (from the 5 Fwy, exit El Toro.
Go East to Cooks Corner and turn right (approx 3 miles
on the right)

DONATION: $75.00** includes fabulous hot lunch served
by Mothers
Market & Kitchen (vegetarian chili with corn bread)
and the following: · Native American Healing
Ceremony with WainChungka · Accessing Soul
Wisdom with Dianne Porchia · Drumming Circle
· Basket Weaving, Yoga and more!
What better holiday gift to give yourself or someone you
care about!!!
Proceeds benefit: Journey to the Heart
Healing Earth and All who Reside There
(Spiritual ecology and preservation of indigenous communities)
Call 800-540-0471 or go to www.journeytotheheart.org
Journey to the Heart 230 E. 17th Street Costa Mesa, CA
92627
Name _____________________________________
Phone ______________________
Address_________________________________________________________
City __________________ State _____ Zip ________ Email
____________
Yes, I want to attend. There will be ____ @$75.00 donation
per person
donation $__________
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to the
Journey to the Heart Programs $__________
Total Amount $__________
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DISCOVER
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Lund, Sweden
Our plans for the Solstice is:
We gather on a hill in a beautiful spot outside Lund if the
weather permits it. Otherwise home by the fire place. We perform
an old nordic variation of the solstice ceremony, guests are
invited to participate. If we are outdoor, bring warm clothes
and something hot to drink and something to cover your face
with like a mask or a handkerchief.
More information will be given by: stigbertil@telia.comMerry Christmas Dan, and a happy new year!!!
stig berthelsenback
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Lena, Mississippi
The Drum Circle at Lena, Miss., will meet at 7 p.m. Saturday,
Dec. 21.
The regular drumming will start as usual at 7 p.m. Those who
have taken the locally offered shamanic workshops from the Foundation
for Shamanic Studies can come early and journey, at 5:30 p.m.
Bring a covered dish if you like. We will drum first, eat later.
Some may wish to fast beforehand.

For those who have not attended a drum circle, we hold a monthly
drumming
ceremony for Earth healing, healing for ourselves and for all
those in our sacred circles using the Native American Medicine
Wheel. It is a time of respect and gratitude for all the Creator
has given us, for honoring the Earth Mother and for seeking
healing for those who are needing it. If you cant attend
and have prayers to enter in the medicine wheel, send them (blueskywaters@att.net).
All are welcome. Bring a drum or rattle if you have one; if
not, come as the Creator guides you.
For more information: Jim Ewing (e-mail: blueskywaters@att.net;
phone: 601-654-3301).back
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Rancho Mirage, California
For the winter solstice, we have formed a Spirit Sound Ensemble
to share a Winter Solstice Sound Meditation to honor the cylcing
of the seasons honoring the season of autumn and welcoming the
return of light. We will share a session of sound at the local
Center of Positive Living at 10 am on December 22 in Rancho
Mirage. The sound meditation will begin with the rhythm of the
heart played on the body, we will then move through a journey
of sound using didgeridoos, crystal singing bowls, voice, gong,
flutes and drums. The journey takes one from autumn into winter
thru the vibration of the instruments and the intention of the
players. This celebration was inspired by a vision I had early
one morning while communing with my spirit helpers.
For more information 760-836-1196 or sharon@shamanicwomen.comBlessings,
Sharon back
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Join us as we celebrate the change of season in the tradition
of the pre-Columbian Taino culture of Puerto Rico. We will start
with an exploration of the importance of the solstice to the
Taino, analyzing the myths, stories and symbols associated with
it, and then we will participate in a major solstice ritual
in which Atabey (Mother Earth) celebrates the return of vitality
to her womb where it will remain dormant until its rebirth in
Spring. Join Taino Medicine Woman Beike Marie NanaMaguey of
the Ku Karey Spiritual Circle of New York to reflect on the
teachings of the previous year and celebrate the seasonal change.

An Afternoon Celebration at: The New York Open Center
Sunday, December 22, 2002 at 2:00 p.m.
83 Spring Street, between Broadway and Lafayette.
For information please call (212) 219-2527 or email info@opencenter.org.
or contact Beike Marie NanaMaguey at mmcrooke@aol.com.

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
My circle and I are meeting at a wonderful spirit filled warehouse.
We were invited by the Spirits that dwell there to spend the
night and greet dawn, the return of the sun with them. We have
been called to witness the return to the SpiritWorld for some
of them, and witness to the life the rest of them have in the
warehouse.

Rattles and Drums and Dance and Voice all will celebrate
the return of the Sun.
I look forward to reading more events of others.
Caroline
Edmonton, Albertaback
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North Pole Alaska
Happy New Year! Solstice is the time of the return of the Light!
I am here in North Pole Alaska and it gets dark early and stays
dark. But the return of the light has begun, if only by a few
seconds.

My message for you all is this. "The physical reality of
this Earth
School depends upon the decisions of those who are in it."-
Native wisdom
"God is whatever you give your attention."

Despite the crazy chaos happening all over the world, my perception
of things is that they are happening on schedule, that humanity
is evolving rapidly into its final stage of development and
that enlightenment for all is at hand. Time is being given to
those who still yet hold to fear and guilt and judgment. Please
have compassion and understanding and patience and assist them
in this transition- from a physical based reality to one of
spirit, from one of limitation to that of no limitations. Thank
you for the opportunity to share this. May the Light be with
you. And may you fear not the dark, but recognize that it, like
the darkness of night, is part of the Day, of Life.

"Beyond right doings and wrong doings, there is a field,
I will meet
you there." -Sufi poet Rumi

If you check out either of the above websites, please give some
feedback: first impressions, questions, comments, etc. This
information is invaluable in our continuing effort to provide
the best Outdoor Education and Experience in Alaska for Kids
of all ages- children, teens and adults.back
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